


One is the Loneliest Number

by therunawaypen



Series: Sherlock Tumblr Prompt Fills [41]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, F/M, Loneliness, M/M, Possibly Unrequited Love, Post Reichenbach, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-03
Updated: 2014-02-03
Packaged: 2018-01-11 02:39:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1167658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therunawaypen/pseuds/therunawaypen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Greg depend on each other to keep from falling apart after Sherlock's death. But then John meets Mary, and what does that mean for Greg?</p>
            </blockquote>





	One is the Loneliest Number

**Author's Note:**

> After the Fall, Lestrade and John support each other and keep each other from falling apart. Until John finds happiness in Mary, and Lestrade finds himself increasingly alone. —anon

They had started drinking together after Greg had found John nearly drinking himself to death after…well, after Sherlock.

Greg had thought that if John had someone with him while he drank, then John wouldn’t be so depressed. Alright, he didn’t actually think it would help at all, but…he didn’t want John to be alone.

So it started out with them getting a drink almost every evening. After all, it wasn’t like Greg had a job to go to, he was suspended pending an investigation after…after Sherlock.

After Sherlock. How the hell had it become this? That the strung out coke addict Greg had found those years ago would have become such a large part of his life, that when he was gone, his life would be in shambles. But apparently Sherlock had a habit of worming his way into a lot of lives.

And leaving them shattered beyond recognition. Leaving John and Greg to drink.

Having a drink every night escalated to getting drunk at Greg’s place (they would never ever drink in 221b, they just couldn’t). Sometimes, they would get so drunk that Greg would make sure all the doors were locked so they couldn’t leave and do something they would regret.

At some point, Greg had convinced John to move in. It got him out of 221b and it saved both of them a fair bit of loneliness. It was easier that way.

The drinking got out of hand, they would admit. But it wasn’t until they woke up one morning, naked and sprawled over each other in Greg’s bathtub while there were distinctive puddles of vomit on the floor, that they promised each other that drinking would no longer be a solution for them.

Without the alcohol, there was nothing to distract them from the pain. There were several nights when the two would vent about Sherlock, about the injustice of the world…about how much they missed him.

It was a long struggle, but they were working towards being alright. And if there were occasions in which Greg woke up to John asleep on him…well, it was just a reminder that he wasn’t alone.

Then John met Mary.

There was a part of Greg that was genuinely happy for him. Seeing John smile again, with joy, was all Greg for ask for.

But of course, that meant Greg was alone again. It didn’t take long before John moved in with Mary, leaving Greg alone in his home.

Of course, John never really left. They still met to have a cup of coffee every once and a while (their agreement to avoid drinking was unspoken, but still strong). But there were no more nights venting about the world at Greg’s place. No more waking up next to John.

Even after Sherlock’s name, and subsequently Greg’s, had been cleared and the DI could return to chasing crime, it didn’t feel the same. Mainly because he knew it would never be the same.

And in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if Sherlock was the only one from 221b who could worm his way into someone’s heart and leave them utterly devastated when he left.


End file.
